Clean up our Beaches
and support our Wildlife

The Waikato Branch of the NZAEE invites you to participate in a Beach Cleanup in support of Seaweek and Maui Dolphin Day

When:    Saturday 2^nd March 2013.   10 – 11 am

Where:   Raglan, Whaingaroa, meet at the skatepark,  Kopua Domain

This isn’t just a Beach Cleanup – Together we will audit the waste and have an opportunity to take action!

Let’s build resilient networks of passionate people working together for a brighter future.

 “Toiora te Moana - Toiora te Tangata,

Healthy Seas - Healthy People”

Attached pdf poster to print

cleanup beach - fyler 2013.pdf

The New Zealand Association for Environmental Education is a national, non-profit organisation that promotes and supports lifelong learning and encourages behaviours that lead to sustainability for New Zealand/Aotearoa. NZAEE is an independent voice for environmental education, empowering people to respect and nurture the environment, recognising its link with the social, cultural and economic aspects of sustainability.

www.nzaee.org.nz

Good News for those trying to wade through the Hamilton Proposed District Plan - deadline now extended to 29th March

At an Extraordinary Meeting of the Council on Wednesday the elected members agreed to extend the timeframe for submissions to the Proposed District Plan to 29 March 2013.
Timeframes at the other end of the process won't be compromised.
So you now have more time to put a submission together. Link to the plan

REMINDER  - Submissions close March 15th for the DoC Waikato Conservation Management Strategy

More good news today - as reported in the Waikato Times this morning:

The Big Picture showed a takahe pair being released on Maungatautari.

And an article (and lovely photo of Clare St Pierre) reported  the Pirongia Te Aroaro o Kahu Restoration Soc is due to release the second phase of robins in their pest control area, after the group of volunteers has trained and captured the birds at Mangatutu. Fantastic. Phone Selwyn June 07 8433066 if you want to get involved.

Link to facebook page

Sunday 24th February

Road to Resilience - Hamilton Permaculture Trust

Come on down to the Sustainable Backyard at Hamilton Gardens this Sunday to experience a day of inspiration and inventions, as part of the Hamilton Gardens Summer Festival.

10am Pruning espaliered fruit trees demo
10.45 Building a top bar beehive
12.00 Scones (cooked in the earthoven) and herbal tea (proceeds to Friends of Hamilton Gardens)
1pm Solar cooker and a rocket stove making
2.30pm Composting toilet construction
3.30 Time banking talk
4.00 Auction of the topbar beehive.

Nominations are now open for the 2013 Green Ribbon Awards.

We would love to have your nominations for the Awards.

The Awards recognise the outstanding contribution of individuals and organisations to sustaining, protecting and enhancing New Zealand’s environment. The Green Ribbon Awards will be presented by the Minister for the Environment in June 2013
The Awards are open to individuals and organisations in New Zealand who are making a difference for our environment. You can nominate yourself, your organisation, community group, service or product or you can nominate someone else you think deserves recognition.

An information sheet showing the award categories and how to make a nomination is available (be patient it is a bit slow to load). Nominations close 12pm Monday 25th March 2013.
For more information please email  or visit our website

It would be great if you could forward this email to others who may wish to make a nomination.

Moya McConnell - Green Ribbon Award Coordinator
Ministry for the Environment – Manatu Mo Te Taiao
DDI: 04 439 7440 Website: www.mfe.govt.nz/green-ribbon

Two Fluoride talks

Dr Paul Connett in Hamilton, Executive Director of Fluoride Action Network (FAN)

Free Public Meetings - Thursday 21st February 8.00pm, Celebrating Age Centre, Victoria Street, Hamilton

And Monday February 25th at Te Kohinga Mārama Marae,Hillcrest Road, Gate 4, Waikato University, Hamilton. 8.45am SHARP

Prof Paul Connett is the Executive Director of the Fluoride Action Network (FAN), and the Executive Director of its parent body, the American Environmental Health Studies Project (AEHSP).
He has spoken and given more than 2,000 presentations in forty-nine states and fifty-two countries on the issue of waste management.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Cambridge and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Dartmouth College and is a retired professor of environmental chemistry and toxicology at St. Lawrence University.
Dr. Connett shares his wealth of information, bringing new research to light and informing us about how the evidence that fluoridation reduces tooth decay is surprisingly weak.
For information on fluoride go here: http://www.fluoridealert.org/articles/fluoride-facts/

Earth Education Gathering - Thames

2013 Earth Education professional development gathering at which international speaker and educator Steve Van Matre will be conducting the Introduction to Earth Education workshop and his well recieved speech Mapbearers, toolkeepers, starmakers.  Look at how to make the most of these programmes in your school or centre and take part in earth education acivities. 

Friday, 22 March 2013 at 5:00 PM - to -
Sunday, 24 March 2013 at 5:00 PM (NZDT)

Kauaeranga Forest Education Camp
Kauaeranga Valley Road Thames

Link to register and for more information

EARTH EDUCATION is…

…the process of helping people to live more harmoniously with the natural world by…

• Understanding how ecosystems work
• Developing a long lasting love and respect for the Earth and its life-forms
• Reducing their own impact on its natural resources

Earth education programmes take place in schools, outdoor centres and youth groups around the world.

The cost of the weekend gathering including workshop, speech, activities, food and accommodation is $319.50. 

The inspiring speech Mapbearers, toolkeepers, starmakers is available separately if you are unable to attend the whole weekend for a fee of $30.00.  I've sent an email about this, from which you can purchase a ticket.

You can also get more information, including testimonials for the workshop and speech, from: www.earthcamp.co.nz/events.htm.

Louise Deane, Sponsor of this event

Applications OPEN.

Applications and guidance for the Community Well-Being and Sustainability Grantis now OPEN.
Note: the Community Well-Being and Envirofund Grants have now been combined. We are keen that environmental groups apply for projects around the city; if you need some help with your application contact the Environment Centre, or talk to Gareth below. Get your application started early so you can have it assessed ahead of the deadline. Attend the funding expo on the 6th March at the Hamilton Gardens.

Applications close 28 March.

Please distribute this information to your networks and refer interested stakeholders to the link below.

Hard copies of applications are also available for pickup on the 4^th Floor Garden Place.
If there are any questions about the Sustainable Hamilton Strategy please contact Gareth Cartwright 838 6678, gareth.cartwright@hcc.govt.nz. Any general questions about the funding process need to go to the contact details on the website.

 www.hamilton.co.nz/communityfunding

Also opening:

• Maori and Pacific Project Fund 2013

• Hamilton City Council Arts and Culture Grant 2013.

 Applications, guidance and criteria can be found on Council’s  Community Funding  webpage by clicking on the link: www.hamilton.co.nz/communityfunding

Hard copies of the Community Well-Being and Maori and Pacific Project Fund applications and guidance can be picked up at 4^th Floor garden Place or posted upon request. For more information regarding the above funding scheme, please contact funding@hcc.govt.nz or phone 07 838 6623.

Hard copies of the Arts and Culture Grant applications and guidance can picked up at Creative Waikato at 2 London Street, Trust House, Hamilton or posted  upon request. For more information regarding this funding scheme, please contact michelle@creativewaikato.co.nz.or phone 0508 427 892.

 Also don't forget the Community Funding Expo coming up at Hamilton Gardens which we advertised last week, on the 6th March at Hamilton Gardens. 10am - 4pm.

The first Waikato Green Drinks for 2013 – don’t miss it!

5 - 7pm February 27th - Greendrinks - at BDO Chartered Accountants

(please email jenny@sustainable.org.nz at SBN to register to attend, not the Waikato Environment Centre)

BDO CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS…. NOT YOUR ORDINARY BEAN COUNTERS
Come and meet the team at BDO in Hamilton and find out about

· The paperless office…. yes accountants can eventually become paperless.

· Engaging businesses and community organisations to create a more sustainable environment.

· Family business. Find out how small SME businesses in New Zealand deal with succession planning and with family dynamics.

This programme covers a variety of areas and is designed to be interactive with all the participants. BDO is the fifth largest firm of Chartered Accountants worldwide, employing over 57,000 people around the world. The intellectual property developed by this group has been applied successfully in Hamilton and other centres around the country and is tailored to meet our local community needs

When: 5.00pm to 7.00pm Tuesday 19th February 27th February

Where: BDO Hamilton, BDO Building, 1026 Victoria Street, Hamilton

Refreshments provided courtesy of your host, BDO Thanks to Bernard and his team!
To register to attend, please email jenny@sustainable.org.nz

Hi there,

As many of you know the Waikato Show is happening again 26 - 28th April at the Claudelands Event Centre. We have an even larger space than last time.

Can you help with any of the following?

1. Plants -  large plants in pots which are movable and you would be happy to lend for a few days, preferably natives or food-producing for people or birds.

We have the Maori Women's Welfare group coming who will be doing all sorts of weaving and rongoa talks, so flax bushes would be especially welcome, and rongoa plants such as kawakawa. We can get large buckets to put them in if you are digging some flax out. They will be watered over the three days.

If you are thinking of pruning a large tree or getting rid of some flax bushes pls think of us and do it just before the show!

Please let me know and also whether you are able to drop the plants off and collect them or they need to be collected. (prefer the former)

2. Helpers  - for during the show and setting up on the Thursday afternoon and cleaning up on Monday.During the show it will be good to have a few people to mind stalls for groups and keep an eye on things.

If you can help with plants or helping during the show please email katherine@envirocentre.org.nz. with your cell phone no and what you are offering.

3. If you know of any appropriate organisations or businesses who might like a stand let me know - we still have some space.

Thanks a lot!

Katherine

Funding Information and Resources 

Waikato Community Funding Expo Poster (PDF, 1.8MB)

Community Waikato workshops around the Waikato
Sustainable Funding Workshops 2013 (FREE)

 

Funding Workshops Poster (PDF, 173 KB)